Ding dong bell (part 1)

Location: The Zenana gardens of Rajgarh palace, in the year 1970 It is 3 am, my favourite time of the night. A time, when people are in deep sleep, with their guards down. I like to look in on them...little sheep, ripe for slaughter. I love being me. It means that I can go where…

Where angels fear to tread….

Sanju opened her eyes and groaned. They had finally moved in to the broken-down haveli, and last night, the whole family had gathered for a feast. How much of her grandmother’s tharra had she had? She felt like one of her buffaloes had stomped all over her. Every part of her body hurt. She sat…

I hate…

  As I hang on to a rod in the over-crowded Ladies Second Class compartment, I realise that I have turned into a ball of hate. I hate.... the crowd. All these people packed like sardines in a tin. I hate.... the fact that my nose is stuck in someone’s stinky arm-pit. I hate.... that…

The point of no return

  2 pm, Location: A popular gym in Bandra, during Women's hour. The walls of the gym resonated with raucous laughter. Women chatted loudly, as they huffed and puffed their weight off. They took selfies, exchanged recipes and gossiped about the trainers. All except one woman, who walked steadily on the treadmill, without making eye…